Red and Black Hockey

Even with the summertime news being slow, the official Carolina Hurricanes sources have been dropping the ball. I had to learn from a TSN.ca email that the Hurricanes have signed last year’s fourth round draft selection Justin Shugg to a three-year entry-level contract. Yesterday. Still no word of it on the official site or from the News & Observer, save a tweet from Chip Alexander.

According to capgeek, which says that the numbers aren’t official, the deal will pay Shugg $600k at the NHL level or $60k at the AHL level in 2011-12, and $625k NHL / $65k AHL for each of the next two seasons. There is also a $225k signing bonus, which is spread over three years. The cap hit will be $616,667 in all three years.

The left winger, who hails from Niagara Falls (Ontario) will turn 20 on Christmas Eve. He had 87 (41/46) points in 66 games this past season with the Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors of the Ontario Hockey League. He added 19 (10/9) points in the OHL playoffs, then three (1/2) points in the Memorial Cup playoffs.

He was twice named OHL Player of the Week last season and led his team in scoring. He played in the Memorial Cup finals, losing this season to the Saint John Sea Dogs. He won the Memorial Cup the previous two seasons as a member of the Windsor Spitfires.

It’s unlikely that he’ll see time on the big team, but with a lot of changes potentially on the horizon, it’s too soon to rule that out.